Create a kitchen garden

by Metropol | February 4, 2026 8:35 am

Convenient and lovely to look at, a kitchen garden is a great way to level-up your cooking and outside space.

A kitchen garden is a dedicated, often small garden space for raised beds, planters, or a backyard plot, to grow vegetables, fruit, herbs, and edible flowers for daily cooking. Positioned close to the kitchen for easy access, it’s about convenience and visual appeal.

Layouts and structures
Raised beds: Use cedar or metal raised beds for better drainage, soil control, and to reduce back strain.
Vertical gardening: Maximise small spaces by growing climbing crops like beans, peas, cucumbers, and tomatoes up trellises.
Potted gardens: Use containers, hanging baskets, and tubs for herbs, salad greens, strawberries, and even dwarf fruit trees on patios or balconies.
Edible landscaping: Use rosemary as a hedge or plant kale and chard for their ornamental, colourful foliage.

Key crops to grow
Herbs: Grow essentials like parsley, mint, chives, thyme, rosemary, and sage near the back door.
Salad greens: Utilise ‘cut-and-come-again’ varieties like mesclun, spinach, and rocket for continuous harvesting.
Summer vegetables: Plant tomatoes, eggplants, peppers, and cucumbers in sunny spots.
Edible flowers: Include nasturtiums and calendula to add colour, encourage pollinators, and repel pests.

Source URL: https://metropol.co.nz/create-a-kitchen-garden/

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